North Korea threatens to shoot down US planes as it condemns nuclear moves

US moves to introduce strategic nuclear assets to the region are ‘blackmail’ and present a grave threat to peace, North Korean state media said

‘There’s no guarantee that such a shocking accident as the downing of a US Air Force strategic reconnaissance plane will not happen’ an official said

Reading Time:2 minutes

The North Korean and US flags are seen in Hanoi in 2019. North Korea has denounced US moves to bring nuclear submarines to the Korean peninsula. Photo: Reuters

Published: 6:57am, 10 Jul 2023Updated: 10:10am, 10 Jul 2023

North Korea accused the United States on Monday of violating its airspace by conducting surveillance flights and warned that, while Pyongyang was exercising restraint, such flights may be shot down.

Provocative military actions by the US were bringing the Korean peninsula closer to a nuclear conflict, said an unnamed spokesman of North Korea’s Ministry of National Defence in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

The report also cited the use of US reconnaissance planes and drones and said Washington was escalating tensions by sending a nuclear submarine near the peninsula.

“There is no guarantee that such a shocking accident as the downing of a US Air Force strategic reconnaissance plane will not happen” in waters east of Korea, the spokesman said.

US Air Force B-1B bombers, F-16 fighter jets and South Korean Air Force F-35A jets take part in a joint air drill above the Korean peninsula in March. Photo: South Korean Defence Ministry/Handout via Reuters

The statement cited past incidents of the North shooting down or intercepting US aircraft at the border with South Korea and off the coast. North Korea has often complained about US surveillance flights near the peninsula.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x